Damien Lucas

Ladies and gentleman we have a late runner for the 2016 Game of the Year.

As far as stealth action games go Dishonoured 2 is going to take some beating.

This beautifully presented and hugely immersive role-playing game is one for the more patient gamer.

It rewards exploration, experimentation and repeat playthroughs so those forking out their hard-earned money will need to set aside some time to get the most out of it.

The original Dishonoured was a hit and one of the stellar things about it was the depth and quality of the script.

It’s successor, which was released last month, lives up to the lofty benchmark of the original.

But it surpasses its predecessor in terms of presentation and graphics, which is expected given the original was released on the previous generations of consoles in 2012.

Without wishing to spoil things too much for those yet to play (I imagine this is on a lot of Christmas lists - and so it should be!), The Clockwork Mansion will likely go down as one of the best missions I have ever had the pleasure of playing in my 30 years of gaming.

That alone could well see this stand alone as the game of 2016 in what has been a hugely competitive year.

The crowning achievements of this 10/10 title is the incredible freeform stealth gameplay which puts Hitman to shame, sumptuous setting to rival Assassin’s Creed and expertly-crafted missions which give Grand Theft Auto a run for its money.

Damien Lucas, gaming columnist

The majority of Dishonored 2 is set in the coastal city of Karnaca and takes place is 15 years after the events of the first game. After Empress Emily Kaldwin is deposed by an “otherworldly usurper”, the player may choose between playing as either Emily or her bodyguard and father Corvo Attano as they attempt to reclaim the throne.

There are a multitude of ways to succeed in each given mission, from stealth to purposeful violent conflict.

The crowning achievements of this 10/10 title is the incredible freeform stealth gameplay which puts Hitman to shame, sumptuous setting to rival Assassin’s Creed and expertly-crafted missions which give Grand Theft Auto a run for its money.

The only reported issues came with speed on the PC version which have since been fixed by a series of patches.